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Thursday, March 6, 2008

Well, At Least Part of the Chase Agenda Passed

posted by on March 6 at 15:42 PM

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Slog fave, Rep. Maralyn Chase (D-32, Shoreline)

ELF-liberal House Rep. Maralyn Chase (D-32, Shoreline) wasn’t able to pass much of what we here in the Stranger newsroom lovingly call “the Chase Agenda” —making plastic bags, and leaf blowers, and poisonous cosmetics illegal—but her bill to regulate condo conversions (a bill we’ve been watching all session) passed the Senate today, 36-11.

The bill gives cities the right to guarantee compensation (the equivalent of 3 months rent) and a minimum amount of time for a tenant to move (120 days) for people displaced by condo conversion. Seattle Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-36, Ballard)—who added protections for seniors and disabled people—carried the bill in the Senate.

However, it’s still disappointing that an early Chase amendment to give cities the right to limit conversions of buildings at which 50 percent or more of units are affordable to low-income people failed.

RSS icon Comments

1

Why do you want to limit affordable units?

Posted by Fnarf | March 6, 2008 3:45 PM
2

I think Chase will go undefeated when she runs for re-election.

Posted by apres_moi | March 6, 2008 3:55 PM
3

Do you want affordable housing integrated at smaller percentages so there are fewer "project" type slums? no really why do you want cities to limit affordable housing?

Posted by vooodooo84 | March 6, 2008 3:57 PM
4

Fnarf @ 1,

Sorry, I wrote that all wrong. Fixed it.

Posted by Josh Feit | March 6, 2008 4:03 PM
5

unfortunately, condo conversion compensation is a joke when there's no rent control (all of washington, afaik). my former landlord just raised all of our rents 350 - 750 dollars (with seattle's requisite 60 days notice), and presto - empty building to do with what he will.

Posted by quilsone | March 6, 2008 4:06 PM
6

All hail Maralyn Chase!

Posted by lorax | March 6, 2008 4:07 PM
7

Ah, I see now.

Posted by Fnarf | March 6, 2008 4:09 PM
8

Limiting conversions is a bad idea. Governmental action should not necessarily control the market as much as mitigate its effects. i.e. welfare vs set wages.

Relocation funds are great, but I would really like to see the state do more to help people buy condos and/or afford rent. subsidies work better then caps or controls.

Posted by Giffy | March 6, 2008 4:13 PM
9

Ms. Chase is a peach - too rad for most of the crowd in Oly

This bill seems a good start - and if the market stays cool for a few years, there may be far less of a problem.

Posted by Adam | March 6, 2008 4:15 PM
10

Cool.

Too bad she helped kill the monorail.

Posted by Will in Seattle | March 6, 2008 4:21 PM
11

Pally-o, if you're going to pin up mouth watering shots of hot broads, it's only natural that some of us are going to get a little hot under the collar.

As you crazy kids like to say, "I'd slam that like a screen door."

Posted by Frank Sinatra's Reanimated Corpse | March 6, 2008 9:20 PM
12

she like whiskey, a lot

Posted by Jack | March 7, 2008 3:40 AM

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